The sound of water is loud and grating, even more sinister than unbroken silence.
Biegler
Hold on a minute. Make a right here.
Ebenholz
You sure know this place well.
Biegler
Of course I do.
Ebenholz
Something every spy should know?
Biegler
The first thing every spy should know.
Ebenholz
Then I'm sure you've already been working in the Afterglow for years.
Biegler
Trying to get on my good side?
Ebenholz
Just curious.
Biegler
You're not privy to that information.
Ebenholz
Disappointing.
Ebenholz
......
Biegler
Why'd you stop moving?
Ebenholz
There's something over there.
Biegler
That's the oldest trick in the book. Don't even bother.
Ebenholz
No, I'm serious – Look over there, something's moving.
Biegler presses the weapon in his hand against Graf Urtica's heart from behind, his eyes then following the direction of the Graf's fingers.
Biegler
It's just an Originium slug. You've never seen one of those before?
Ebenholz
Is it really... just an Originium slug?
Biegler
The high-and-mighty Graf Urtica was so scared by an Originium slug that he couldn't even walk. Now I've seen everything.
Ebenholz
I still think there's something not quite right...
Biegler
Stop being stupid and get a move on!
Ebenholz
Fine.
Biegler
Wait, just a second.
Biegler
Isn't that an awful lot of slugs?
Biegler
That's way too many! This is going to be a major problem!
Biegler
Run! Now!
Ebenholz
Why are you––
Biegler
It's about to be too late already! Hurry up!
Biegler grasps Ebenholz's wrist tightly, and the two of them sprint through the sewers.
Ebenholz
Huff, huff...
Ebenholz
Do you have a map of the sewers inside your head?
Biegler
If you have the time to quip at me, you'd be better off spending it to catch your breath.
Ebenholz
I'm not trying to be sarcastic, every branch we take seriously looks the same to me...
Biegler
Rested up?
Ebenholz
We just––
Biegler
Then keep running! Hurry!
Ebenholz
(Gasps)
Ebenholz
I... can't keep going...
Biegler
That's fine. We just happened to find who we were looking for.
Biegler
Good evening, Herr Lachmann.
Lachmann
Good evening, shopkeep.
Ebenholz
Shopkeep?
Lachmann
Ugh. You don't know a damned thing, but you still have to stick your nose where it doesn't belong. What a pain you are.
Lachmann
Wouldn't you agree, Biegler?
Biegler
Agreed.
Biegler
But you're the one who's in real trouble.
Biegler
You've provoked all the Originium slugs in this area, and they're swarming towards the surface.
Biegler
As we both know, the Originium slugs in the sewers emit a noxious gas, and what you're doing is tantamount to a chemical attack on the Infected of the Afterglow.
Ebenholz
A chemical attack? But aren't we fine right now?
Biegler
The gas has a much stronger effect on the Infected than it does on you, Graf Urtica.
Ebenholz
Then, Czerny and Hibiscus...
Ebenholz
And Kreide too...?!
Biegler
Good. You already understand the situation.
Biegler
Lachmann, quell these Originium slugs and return them to their original state immediately, or I will exercise my right to put you down on the spot.
Lachmann
It's no longer possible.
Lachmann
A lone man can start a fire easy enough, but even if you point a knife at his neck, he won't be able to put it out alone.
Biegler
What do you people get out of this?
Lachmann
What do we get? How do you not even know that much?
Biegler
Not interested in hearing your riddles.
Lachmann
'Pestilence from Shadow wanton spouts, spews Ruin in Prelude.'
Lachmann
Do you really need me to explain it word by word?
Biegler
Let me rephrase. What do you get out of making the prophecy come true?
Lachmann
You don't need to worry about that.
Biegler
What are you trying to do? Silence him?
Ebenholz
Just knock him out already, my dear, mean-spirited spy!
Ebenholz
Do you have any way of controlling these slugs?
Biegler
If I did, I wouldn't be wasting my breath on him.
Ebenholz
Then let's get going before it's too late!
Biegler
(Glares sharply)
Biegler
You're more than meets the eye, Graf Urtica.
Biegler
Fine, I'll carry him out, and you follow me––
Biegler
Wait, hold up, that's––
Ebenholz sees the same thing Biegler sees.
Where Lachmann has fallen, something silvery is glistening on the sewer wall.
Biegler
It's the keyhole.
Ebenholz
There might be some kind of device inside controlling the Originium slugs! I'll blow the door open––
Biegler
Let me see if I can pick the lock first.
Biegler
It'd be bad news if you blew up something important.
Ebenholz
Can you open it?
Biegler
The lock's a pretty tough nut to crack, but it won't get the better of me.
Ebenholz
While you're working on that, mind telling me what this prophecy is all about?
Biegler
You've never heard of it?
Biegler
Well, whatever, it's spreading around anyway.
Biegler
O'er lofty Hills, the Fiend steps into Twilight's Midst agaze.
Biegler
The Blood hides Plague within, slow beckons Death to creep all Ways.
Biegler
Pestilence from Shadow wanton spouts, spews Ruin in Prelude.
Biegler
Fades Finale's Ensemble; Woe departs with Sun's last Rays.
Ebenholz
Ensemble? Woe?
Biegler
Right.
Biegler
To be honest, I'm still curious what the last verse means.
Biegler
Everything else is already fairly clear.
Biegler
The first verse refers to Hibiscus's arrival in the Afterglow, and the second refers to the phenomenon of false recovery...
Ebenholz
You even know about that?
Biegler
What do you think a spy's job is?
Ebenholz
......
Biegler
Now, the third verse is also clear. All that remains is the last one.
Herr Czerny, the situation outside has gone to hell in a handbasket!
Mannered Infected
Swarms of noxious Originium slugs started coming up from the sewers, and a lot of people have already been poisoned. It's total chaos out in the streets now!
Mannered Infected
They're saying this is part of the prophecy, and panic is spreading through the Afterglow!
Czerny
How did this all happen?
Czerny
We can't do much about people panicking right now, but how about those who were poisoned?
Mannered Infected
They're not looking too good... Especially those whose Oripathy started getting better recently. They're having even more violent reactions.
Mannered Infected
We've already contacted the hospital, but the medical staff on the line didn't seem very motivated when they heard that we're in the Afterglow...
Czerny
Not motivated?!
Czerny
I'll go negotiate with the hospital then.
Mannered Infected
It's too dangerous outside, you'd better just call!
Czerny
If they didn't care when you made the call, it won't make a difference if I'm the one on the line. This is something I'll have to take care of in person.
Mannered Infected
But tomorrow's the day of the concert, and if you get poisoned...
Czerny
If these inexplicable events result in deaths, do you think people will be in any mood to enjoy the music, even if the concert continues as planned?
Czerny
I don't want things to reach that point, nor do I want to pretend as if nothing is happening. I'd rather not play a single note than lie to myself!
Is someone playing the cello...? All the slugs are going in the direction of the music?
Worn-out Infected
Thank you!
Worn-out Infected
Krause, stand up. Here, hold on to my shoulder...
Neurotic Infected
......
Worn-out Infected
Hold on tight. Let's go, now!
Kreide
(Whispers) You're welcome.
With Kreide at the epicenter, the tones of the cello spread out across the narrow streets and alleys of the Afterglow.
Wherever the cello's notes travel, the Originium slugs turn around one after another.
Those who had been surrounded think the crisis is over, that the poison-exhaling insects will soon retreat to the dark sewers under the guidance of the cello's tune.
But they are wrong.
Both where they can and cannot see, Originium slugs make their way towards Kreide.
